What it is
Diazolidinyl Urea is a white powder.
What it does
Diazolidinyl Urea is a preservative that prevents bacterial growth. It works by releasing small amounts of formaldehyde, a toxic and carcinogenic substance used to embalm dead bodies.
Side effects
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel considers Diazolidinyl Urea safe to be used in cosmetics up to a maximum concentration of 0.5%. In Europe, when the concentration of formaldehyde in the finished product exceeds 0.05%, the labels has to state “contains formaldehyde”.
Diazolidinyl Urea can cause irritations and allergies.
{ 46 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow, this sounds dangerous and terrifying. I’ll keep an eye if it’s in the products I use now.
Hi Jasmine, I didn’t mean to cause a scare. Formaldehyde is really nasty stuff and although the FDA says it isn’t dangerous in very small quantities I stay away from it. I don’t think it’s gonna kill since the concentrations are low, but still who would want toxic stuff in their bodies in the first place? I’d rather have no formaldehyde at all instead of small amounts in the first place, esp when there are other preservatives who work just as well but don’t release any toxic stuff.
I like your ‘know your ingredients’ series of posts. Very informative!
.-= Vonvon´s last blog ..Estee Lauder Sale And My Hauls =-.
Thank you Vonvon, I’m glad you’re enjoying these posts!
Is diazolidinyl urea derived from animal urine or is it entirely synthetic?
Hi Barbara, diazolidinyl urea can be derived both from animal or synthetic sources. However in cosmetics products diazolidinyl urea is made by the reaction of allantoin (a substance derived from the extracts of the comfrey plant) and formaldehyde.
Thanks for fast reply. I work in retail and a gentleman customer refused to buy a hand softener because of this ingredient thinking it a derivative of urine. He piqued my interest. the websites I checked were not clear on the source either.
You’re welcome Barbara. There is a lot of confusion on this topic because some ingredients, like Urea, are components of urine. But in cosmetics, synthetic versions are used. You can tell your clients not too worry, they won’t be putting urine on their faces.
thanks barbara for bringing up this matter as i’m having the same confusion too
Feyda Fauzan, I’m glad this helped clearing up any doubts. Thanks to Barbara too .
thanks barbara and othes to discuss this issuue .becoz for some this topic matters a lot.
Kanwal, I agree this is an important topic and I’m glad you enjoyed the discussion.
thanks for quick reply but i have many questions (related to this issue)about many ingredients that are used in cosmetics.how i can ask from you.
Kanwal, you can either comment on my blog or send me an email and I will get back to you as soon as I can. You can find my email in the contact page (link at the top of the page).
o` thank u.u are so sweet .may Allah bless u.
Kanwal, you’re welcome.
Kanwal…best to start with one cosmetic at a time. Say is lipstick still made from bear fat?
dear barbara you are right but one lipstick has many ingredients.and for me it matters a lot that either ther are from plant source or not.believe i `m so confused these das that wahat i`m using??????
Kanwal, there is so much contradicting and misleading information about cosmetic ingredients on the internet that it’s impossible not to get confused! But contrary to popular belief, chemicals aren’t toxic and plant derived ingredients always good. There good chemical ingredients and bad chemical ingredients, like there are good natural ingredients and bad natural ingredients.
An useful website to check out is http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/. It’s one of my favourite sources as it is a collection of scientific studies and their conclusions. All of the information on there is based on science not on pseudo science aiming to scare people. Some studies can be a bit hard to understand if one is not a scientific person though so if you need help, let me know.
And having said that, if one prefers to use natural and organic ingredients, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.
once again thanks.i `ll surely visit this web site.
Barbara, as far as I know it’s not. And if you all have any questions, I’m always glad to help if I can.
Hi, I arrived at your site researching Diazolidinyl Urea. It’s one of 3 major ingredients in the cosmetics that my girlfriend uses and she was just told is allergic too. Vicki is desperately searching for alternative cosmetics. The other 2 are Methyldibromo glutaronitrite/Phenoxyethanol and Propolis (beeswax). These eliminate many of her sunscreens, lip protections, and anti-aging products. Can you advise, perhaps send links to where and/or how we can track down alternatives? Great site, btw, and your dedication is tremendous. I’m the boyfriend trying to help out.
Jim, thanks. And how kind of you to want to help out your girlfriend, she’s lucky to have you! I’m sorry to hear she’s allergic to a few cosmetic ingredients, that’s awful! Unfortunately I don’t what else to suggest apart from reading the ingredient lists of products when she buys them so as to avoid. Avoiding Diazolidinyl Urea is quite easy as there are lots of products out there that don’t containing. The only tricky one is Beeswax as it is in so many products! You may want to check out my post on Beeswax, where lots of people came forward saying they are allergic to it and recommended Beeswax-free products that work well for them. Here’s the link: http://beautifulwithbrains.com/2008/10/25/know-your-ingredients-beeswax/
Hope this helps.
I found this by researching the ingredients in my Bath and Body works Plumeria Lotion…. welp… all of their products contain this… and its not Vegan…fyi.
Shanna, I’m not surprised they use it as it is very inexpensive. But as long as they didn’t claim their products to be vegan I don’t see the problem with it. I don’t mind using synthetic ingredients, although I know some people don’t like them.
I just purchased Serious Skin Care Olive oil products for face and body on HSN today. I was actually careless doing this, as I always read the ingredients and prefer to use products Not tested on Animals. This said..I checked the ingredients just now and Diazolidinyl Urea is listed on a couple of them, and was concerned what it actually was! I dont have allergies to skin care products, should this concern me?
Thank you.
Gwen, Diazolidinyl Urea is a preservative and is used to make product last longer. It has gained a bad reputation because it works by releasing formaldehyde, which is toxic. However, the amount of formaldehyde released is so minuscule that it doesn’t pose any risk to human health. In any case, using products without preservatives would be more dangerous as they could harbour bacteria and give people infections. Should you be concerned? Honestly, I don’t think so as it is perfectly safe. The only reason I see to avoid it is if you prefer to use natural ingredients but apart from that, it’s not bad for you.
hi;i have read te advice you give in regards of diazolidinyl urea you have said that its for preservative for the product to last long and to avoid bacteria; is it from animal urine or its extracted from plant?thanks for educating us about cosmetic product.
Naima, you are welcome and I hope you find these posts useful. As for diazolidinyl urea, the type used in cosmetics is usually synthetically made in a lab.
thank you so much,fast i like the name beutifulwithbrains…nice…thanks fro your eply and the links i have understnd that these is actually ascientific name , its are product made in the lab its have the scientific name other wise this is nt urine or the sort. hopee how i understood is correct thax.
Naima, diazolidinyl urea is the scientific name and the type used in cosmetics is synthetic and doesn’t derive from urine.
Hi, my name is Prity from kenya,africa. Im 17yrs old, i have a dark brown complexion. I have been having problems with my face 4 quite sometime now. I have acne on my forehead,i have open pores and discolouration on my cheeks and nose. I was wondering what products should i use because i have tried all sorts of products recommended by a beautician but they dont seem to work. I’ve tried sebamed care gel,black opal anti acne lotion,nivea,vaseline,forever living products but they havnt cured my problems. I have sensitive,combination skin. Please help? My self-esteem is really low because of this:(
Prity, I’m sorry to hear about your problem and how it is affecting your self-esteem. You should use a gentle cleanser and exfoliate your skin twice a week with a salicylic acid product. To treat the acne on your forehead, I’d use either a product with Benzyl Peroxide or Tea Tree Oil (but make sure its concentration is at least 5% or it will be useless). I also think you should consult a dermatologist as he/she will be able to prescribe the best skincare routine for you.
Hi prity, I know you live far but if you want I can help you with your acne problem.
My email address is angelicious8383@yahoo.com
A friend of mine has a skin problem besides bad acne & it’s called keloids I believe they call it, basically her body produces an over amount of collagen cells & she suffers from what look like large acne type blisters that happen above the skin. She would get these really bad on her shoulders & her face, chest, & back would also get bad breakouts-real red & pimples were painful & scarring from her acne. She seen a dermatologist who told her that her only option was he could give her keloids a hormone shot to help them go down (very painful). But he said there’s no topical solution out there that will get rid of them. Her face acne he advised proactive or a strong retinol product, well none worked. I then asked her if she’d like me to make her something that will help clear up her skin. She was very doubtful & resisted, telling me that nothing will work. Well she can be very stubborn but I made it anyway & showed her how simple it is to use & since it’s only1step to do use it, instead of 3 she took it home. Well she decided to try it, about 3-4 maybe 5 days later she came by to bring me brownies. Ha I thought whats the occasion & when I seen her she was all dressed up & wearing a spaghetti strap tank top, which I’d never seen her wear outside before. As soon as she got up my stairs she said I tried it, it really is helping my shoulders! They aren’t red, sore, & her large keloids had begun diminishing in size. Even the acne on her shoulders & face had cleared a lot. Nothing was swelling on her skin, I told her for anything that was happening below the skin there is something else she can try & this is just an old remedy my moms been doing & taught me to, since I can remember. You take an 1 egg white & put it in a bowl. Whip it up just a bit & apply it to your whole face… Or wherever has acne. Be sure not to get it too close to your mouth or eyes, as well as wash your hands if you apply it with them. Then you just relax & let it dry. Try not to move your face to much while it dries you will feel it stiffening as it tightens the pores. Once it’s completely dry you can go rinse of with warm water. If you can, grab some Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo, its gentle & washes your face & removes makeup. Also one last trick you can try is restoring the skins PH balance, so if you can get some White Vinegar from your kitchen or market & put some on a cotton ball & just slightly rub over your whole face in a circular motion. This will shock your skin practically, beneficial if you do this before any treatments to your face or even hair. If your interested in the product I made for my friend I can make you some & try sending it to ya. I don’t expect money from you or anything, I just hope it works as well as it did for my friend. It’s safe & beneficial to any skin type because I gave some to my mom who loves it, & I used it. I know all about self esteem issues & I know how much better one can feel, when they aren’t self-conscious. You should feel beautiful, every girl should! Like Kevin Aucoin said, “put your best face forward”. ;0)
Are there any home remedies that would work for the time being as i save money that i will use to buy the products? And also are baby wipes that are alcohol free,fragrance free,no propylene glycol good for my skin?
Prity, yes, those wipes would be suitable for your skin. I don’t really know of any home remedies that would work as well as the products I recommended for acne and discolorations and you just risk making things worse. For now, I’d just treat skin gently and use gentle products that won’t irritate it more.
What happens if they contain diazolidinyl urea but doesn’t say contains formaldehyde any where on product?
Angela, I don’t think products with diazolidinyl urea need to state on the labels that they contain formaldehyde. It is true that this preservative works by releasing formaldehyde, but the levels of formaldehyde released are so minuscule that they don’t pose a threat to human health.
I asked because a hair gel I bought for my kids, so they could spike their hair contains this ingredient and it wasn’t anywhere on the bottle, I was wondering whether this always produced formaldehyde or possibly not. I’m glad to know it does and I was just angry at the fact that they didn’t warn people. I have been researching formaldehyde over the last few days, finding out they use it in a lot of things. According to the National Cancer Institute Formaldehyde has been classified as a known human carcinogen (cancer-causing substance) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and as a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Angela, it is true that formaldehyde is toxic and carcinogenic, but it is the dose that makes the poison. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review, which is the agency used by the FDA to assess the safety of ingredients, has concluded that, based on all the data available today, Diazolidinyl Urea is safe as a cosmetic ingredient up to a maximum concentration of 0.5 percent. The National Cancer Institute is not a governmental agency but a political agency and these kind of organizations don’t always get science right (and often completely disregard science when it doesn’t agree with their political agenda) and so end up scaring consumers unneccessarily.
Besides, did you know that formaldehyde naturally occurs in many foods such as apples and onions and is also produced produced as a metabolic byproduct in humans? But again, the concentrations are so small that our bodies are able to get rid of them, just like they get rid of the formaldehyde released by diazodinyl urea, so that they don’t cause cancer or any other disease in human.
I know that when you hear formaldehyde is carcinogenic it can be scary, especially if you plan to use it on your kids, and if you want to avoid it completely that’s fine. But this ingredient has been used for decades in cosmetics without anyone ever getting ill because of it. Instead, we’re more likely to get cancer by breathing the polluted air in our towns or by eating food grown in polluted soil.
Hi, I notice asian like to whiten their skin.. and recently there is this one product that promise them just that, what frighten me is that it gives instant result of bleaching and I notice the product contains Diazolidinyl Urea.. Everyone is going crazy on this product, I don’t know how many percentage of it is in it.. and I’m afraid it will do more harm than good even though it is said to contain a very high level of L-glutathione =/
Naadiah, if you tell me which product it is, and give me the ingredient list, I can try to examine it for you and tell you if it is safe.
Hi sorry for the late reply.. this is the name of the cream ‘Cathy doll L-glutathione magic cream.. the ingredients in it are : Aqua, Paraffinum Liquidum, L-Glutathione, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Disostearate, Titanium Dioxide, Hydrogenated Polyisohutene, Dimenthiconol, Cyclomethicone, Methyparaben, Diazolidinyl Urea, Propylparaben, Fragrance, CI:77891, CI:77491, CI:77492
Naadiah, I don’t see anything in there that could be bad for you. I guess people are making such a fuss because it contains Paraffinum Liquidum and Diazolidinyl Urea. Unfortunately, these ingredients have acquired an undeserved bad reputation. People dislike paraffium liquidum because it is derived from oil and assume the two substances are the same thing, but they’re not. Paraffinum Liquidum has been highly purified, doesn’t contain any nasty impurities and studies have shown it to be both safe and very effective at moisturizing skin. Diazolidinyl Urea instead is a preservative that works by releasing formaldehyde. While formaldehyde is carcinogenic, it is released in such minuscule quantities that it won’t cause any harm at all to our health. It is always the dose that makes the poison, but sadly a lot of people don’t seem to understand that. Hope this helps.
Thanks. That was a clear, great answer..
Naadiah, you’re welcome.
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